In the early 1940's, asbestos was an inexpensive material which was used in virtually every industrial plant across the nation because of its superior capabilities of noise reduction, insulating and fire retardant qualities. Asbestos was used in cement asbestos pipe, plaster, wiring, pipe insulation, sound absorbing tiles, floor tiles and sprayed on ceiling structural steel and deck pans.
Asbestos has been found to be a health hazard and asbestos removal or abatement programs are being conducted to remove these health hazards. Many regulations have been adopted and are in place to ensure the safety of those workers who are removing the asbestos as well as to ensure that the asbestos being removed will not be introduced into the surrounding atmosphere. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,111 describes a fairly common system which is employed in an asbestos removal project. In most projects, an enclosure is created around the space in which the asbestos is to be removed. The space is sealed by means of plastic sheets or the like. An air inlet is provided for the enclosed space to permit air to be drawn thereinto. A filtration unit such as the Model MT-3 of Micro-Trap, Inc. of Maple Shade, N.J. or the Model ST2000 of Global Consumer Services, Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif. is employed with each of the units having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet of the filtration unit is placed in communication with the area outside of the enclosed space. A blower means is provided in the filtration unit so that the contaminated air in the enclosed space will be drawn through the filtration unit with the asbestos fibers being collected in the filtration unit. The filtration units are sometimes referred to as negative air systems so that air is drawn through the air inlet formed in the wall means and through the filtration unit.
A worker must normally pass through a clean room, a shower room and an equipment room before entering the contaminated area. When leaving the contaminated area, the worker will remove his contaminated clothing in the equipment room, enter the shower room, shower, and enter the clean room to put on clean clothing.
The filtration units are normally continually operated even though workers are not in the contaminated area. The filtration units include operating controls for controlling the operation of the filtration unit as well as monitors which monitor the operation of the filtration unit.
If the filtration unit should shut off or malfunction during non-working hours, a worker must enter the contaminated area through the clean room, shower room and equipment room to re-start the unit. The worker must then remove his clothing in the equipment room, shower in the shower room, enter the clean room, dress and exit. It is also necessary to periodically enter the contaminated area to monitor the operation of the filtration unit to ascertain that the filters are not clogged and that the unit is functioning satisfactorily. Such monitoring also requires the entry and exit procedure described hereinabove.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a remote control and monitoring means for an air filtration unit located within an enclosed contaminated area.
A further object of the invention is to provide a remote control and monitoring means for controlling the operation of an air filtration unit wherein the air filtration unit is located within a contaminated area permitting the control and operation of the filtration unit without the necessity of entering the contaminated area.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.